Legal Soft Solution is excited to meet you at 35th Annual AILA California Chapters Conference & Webcast on November 10-12 | Learn More
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Legal Soft Solution is excited to meet you at 35th Annual AILA California Chapters Conference & Webcast on November 10-12 | Learn More
Every day, PI case manager deals with many cases & they must streamline their case management process. They do this to avoid wasting time and effort on unnecessary tasks.
Legal Soft Solution PI Case Managers have prepared a list of personal injury case features that can simplify the complex and time-consuming process of organizing your cases. Not to mention, this is regardless of the uniqueness of each case.
These features will work as a list of tasks you need to do as a lawyer while handling a personal injury case. Keeping an eye on this list will help to stay ahead of the curve. As you’ll always know what you still need to do and what you have done so far.
As a lawyer, you need to streamline the personal injury case management process to keep cases organized for future proceedings. Although each practitioner may have a preference for how their cases should be managed, here are the pointers to assist you in managing a personal injury case.
Getting the client ready for the initial meeting. Before meeting clients, it is advisable to tell them to bring documents related to their case for the first meeting discussion. These documents may include the police report, insurance policy, any estimated expense (for repair), medical records, any other necessary notes, photographs (if any), and auto policy. This eliminates the need for unnecessary delays arising as a result of a lack of documents.
In these modern times, technology allows lawyers to store soft copies of important documents instead of cluttering their offices with paper and files. The ability to scroll the documents at their fingertips is also a significant advantage of this technology.
The initial face-to-face encounter with a client is crucial for establishing a personal connection, explaining the procedure, setting expectations, and gathering information concerning the client’s claim.
This is the time of active listening and addressing the concerns of the client. Explain the case process, fees chargeable, and hourly billable costs. Being upfront is what is required here to avoid any disputes in the future. Discuss every aspect – whether it is about the possible obstacles or outcomes or the estimated time-frame expectations. Also, discuss the reasons which could cause delays in the case settlement. Most law firms use an automated questionnaire with every type of question starting from the client’s background, profession, incident, damages borne, insurance details, information of the other party, any strong pieces of evidence along with the police report & other necessary information.
Jotting down these points will help you come up with the strengths and flaws of the case. Thus, you will determine what could be done and what you will do further to help the client get reasonable compensation. It is advisable to get the necessary documents and authorizations signed once you communicate everything clearly to the client. This could be done digitally as well.
As a lawyer, if you receive a call at the time of an accident from your client, the very first thing you should do is to get your client treated. When a person suffers an injury due to a car collision or workplace accident, or any other reason, they must seek medical attention immediately. The rationale for this is that it will assist you in locating medical records throughout the trial. Physicians should not be hired since their certifications are viewed as forgeries with a lower level of authenticity on their end.
The information can also be used to diagnose non-injury health issues. Medical records prescribed by doctors are deemed valid and can be used as strong evidence to get higher compensation.
Keeping a Pain diary will help record the progress made since the day of injury to assist in further legal proceedings. Software developed these days is a huge advantage in maintaining these records and making it easy for lawyers to access them.
Evidence, in legal terms, is any material produced in a court of law to persuade judges and jurors of the facts of a case. Judges use solid evidence to help victims achieve a beneficial decision. Proof can be provided in various ways, but most plaintiffs prefer tangible evidence. Anything substantial, such as a wayward strand of clothing or a smashed light bulb, might be used as an example. Proof can also be in the form of films, photographs, or documentation. This method can be automated to make it easier for lawyers to manage their cases.
To obtain such records, you may choose to take notes right after the occurrence, and you must include the injuries you sustained. In addition to taking notes, you can do the following:
Witness testimonies may be used to support allegations in personal injury cases. Witnesses can assist you in providing firsthand knowledge that can aid in determining who is to blame. Your client may have been noticed by a witness who wasn’t present at the time of the incident but can testify that your client appeared to be gravely hurt.
The testimony of a witness might help ensure that your personal injury case is resolved in your favor. The majority of witness testimony is made up of expert and lay witnesses. Expert witnesses have specialized knowledge, training, and experience in the areas where your case is being contested.
Witnesses could include vocational rehabilitation professionals, economists, and medical experts. On the other hand, lay witnesses are those who have no prior knowledge of the matter. They can testify, however, based on observations made after, before, and during an accident. It’s essential to keep track of what they say and their other information like where they live, what they do, and so on.
Ensure that you keep records of all incurred medical costs and other expenses after an accident. The records should be clear and easy to find. The use of technology can help you arrange all medical information in a user-friendly way. A clear, easy-to-read format will help access individual or specific medical records, billing statements, information about insurance companies and providers, and other expenses.
Furthermore, you will be able to preview and attach documents for each individual entry, simplifying the administration of personal injury claims.
You need to follow up with clients since they are new to the legal world after their initial meeting. It is important to point out to the client that even though you represent them, they still have certain responsibilities to strengthen the case.
This might be anything as simple as keeping your attorney up-to-date with every minute detail, arranging additional evidence and details if needed, documenting every expense incurred after the accident, keeping things confidential between the client and you, or staying alert at all times.
In addition, it is your duty as a lawyer in today’s fast-paced digital age to explain to your clients the importance of social media, which other parties can possibly monitor. Modifying social media should be avoided, as it could impair evidence. With the help of technology, lawyers can easily keep sending a reminder to clients of their responsibilities.
As a lawyer, you have to deal with a lot of cases on a daily basis which makes your schedules packed. Since the legal profession has a busy schedule, keeping track of deadlines and important dates is a difficult task. Sometimes the missed deadlines can obstruct your preparation for the trial. This is why most lawyers choose cloud-based legal case management software because of this. This software program has capabilities that alert the user to crucial deadlines and court dates.
Not only should the software serve as a reminder, but it should also be able to provide pertinent information regarding the case, such as who the clients are, where the trial court is located, and so on, which makes your case management easy.
The main job of a lawyer is to focus on the case at hand. For this standard, communication with the many parties involved in a personal injury case is required. This includes requests for a police report or a medical report, expert medical opinions, and the defendant’s (or his attorney’s) first communication, among other things. Doing this every time will consume a lot of time and energy. Thus most law firms automate this process.
The majority of these documents are pre-formatted in personal injury case management software. The program may then extract pertinent case information from the records, such as the date, type, and time of the accident, and combine it with the template to create a tailored communication in only a few clicks. You can send it via email or by hand after a brief perusal.
If regular communication does not need to be reviewed, the software can automatically send it out. This relieves stress on support employees, allowing them to devote more time to more productive work.
Personal injury lawsuits can have a lot of moving aspects, making it difficult to keep track of everything. In many circumstances, staying organized can quickly become a challenge. However, following a simplified approach will go a long way toward establishing your credibility, assuring your client’s happiness, and, eventually, permitting effective case resolutions.
Whether you are a lawyer or a law practice manager with a temporary concern, Legal Soft Solution can always help you. Talk to our expert team for the best assistance to any law firm management and legal team issue, or call us at (424) 341-4917. Book a demo now to know more about what Legal Soft Solution can offer.
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